Senior Management organization chart

Senior Management

Éric Martel

President and Chief Executive Officer

Éric Martel took office as President and Chief Executive Officer of Hydro-Québec in July 2015. In this capacity, he is responsible for the company’s strategic objectives. Mr. Martel immediately set out four priorities for Hydro-Québec: proactive communication, sustained growth of the company’s activities, and improving customer service and productivity.

Prior to this appointment, Mr. Martel worked at Bombardier from 2002 to 2015. He held several senior management positions, including that of President, Bombardier Business Aircraft, where he managed some 12,000 employees throughout the world. He also served as President, Customer Services and Specialized and Amphibious Aircraft. Under his leadership, the Customer Services team expanded its international footprint, generating significant and sustained growth in revenue as well as improving customer satisfaction survey results. He also headed several operational activities.

During his career at Bombardier, Mr. Martel succeeded in implementing a solid quality culture throughout the organization, particularly in the course of his duties as Vice President, Quality, Achieving Excellence System and Transformation.

Before joining Bombardier, Mr. Martel worked for various high-profile international companies in the aerospace manufacturing sector, such as Pratt & Whitney and Rolls Royce, as well as for Procter & Gamble and Kraft Foods.

Éric Martel holds a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering (1991) from Université Laval. He has been actively involved in Centraide of Greater Montréal since the early 2000s.

Lise Croteau, FCPA, FCA

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Lise Croteau was appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Hydro-Québec in 2015, after having served as Vice President – Accounting and Control since 2008. Her mandate includes orienting, developing and overseeing all financial, regulatory and management accounting activities, as well as financial planning, taxation, financial control and risk management. In addition, she is responsible for Hydro-Québec’s financial statements and reports.

From May to July 2015, Ms. Croteau also served as Acting President and Chief Executive Officer of Hydro-Québec, thus becoming the first woman to head the company. During this period, she represented Management on the Board of Directors.

Lise Croteau began her career in 1982 at the accounting firm Bélanger Hébert (today Raymond Chabot Grant Thorton). In 1985, she moved on to Charette, Fortier, Hawey/Touche Ross (today Deloitte), where she handled audit mandates. She joined Hydro-Québec in 1986, successively holding management positions in various fields of accounting. In 2004, she was appointed corporate controller–a first for women at Hydro-Québec. In this role, she oversaw the application of complex new accounting standards and was instrumental in their update, while also ensuring the implementation of strict corporate controls.

A chartered professional accountant since 1984, Lise Croteau holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the Université de Sherbrooke. In 2008, she was named a Fellow of the Ordre des comptables professionels agréés du Québec (FCPA, FCA) in recognition of her exceptional contribution to the profession. In 2016, she ranked among Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award Winners, a distinction bestowed by the Women’s Executive Network (WXN) to honor the leadership skills and outstanding accomplishments of Canadian women from all walks of life. In addition to her executive functions, Ms. Croteau continues to be actively involved in training her staff, promoting gender equality and coaching women who aspire to management positions.

Ms. Croteau also lends her management and financial expertise to the community as chair of the Audit and Financial Administration Committee and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts and a member of the Board of Directors of the Montréal Heart Institute Foundation.

Richard Cacchione

President of Hydro-Québec Production

In April 2005, Richard Cacchione was appointed President of Hydro-Québec Production. He joined Hydro-Québec in June 2002 as President of Hydro-Québec Équipement and was also President and CEO of the Société d’énergie de la Baie James (SEBJ) between 2003 and 2005.

As President of Hydro-Québec Production, he directs all generation activities, including generating station operation and development projects. He is also responsible for electricity sales and trading on wholesale markets. He was previously in charge of engineering, procurement and construction activities for construction projects located south of the 49th parallel as President of Hydro-Québec Équipement, and for projects north of the 49th parallel as Chief Executive Officer of the Société d’énergie de la Baie James.

From 1999 to 2002, Richard Cacchione held positions in various industries in the new technologies sector. From 1992 to 1999, he worked for Aéroports de Montréal (ADM), where he started as Vice President of Finance and Administration, then became President and Head of Operations of the ADM-Capital subsidiary, followed by Executive Vice President of Operations and Marketing, and finally President of the company.

From 1984 to 1992, he worked for the Lavalin Group, initially as Director of Finance, then Director of Finance and Administration, followed by Vice President of Administration and Treasurer. Prior to 1984, he held various positions in companies such as Brown Boveri Canada, Équipements Rocbec, the Coopérative fédérée du Québec and Raymond Chabot Martin Paré.

Mr. Cacchione obtained an accounting degree from the Université du Québec à Montréal in 1978. In 2003, he was named a Fellow (FCGA) by CGA-Canada, the highest distinction awarded by the association. He holds a CGA diploma from the Ordre des comptables professionnels agréés du Québec (CPA) and the Certified General Accountants Association of Canada.

In addition to being a member of these associations, he sits on the boards of the Fondation de Polytechnique Montréal and the Fondation de l’Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont. He is also actively involved in other charitable organizations.

Marc Boucher

President of Hydro-Québec TransÉnergie

Marc Boucher joined Hydro-Québec in June 2016 as President of Hydro-Québec TransÉnergie. This division operates and develops North America’s most extensive power transmission system, which includes some 34,000 kilometres of lines. It also markets system capacity and manages power flows across Québec. Its assets total more than $20 billion and its annual revenue exceeds $3 billion.

A mechanical engineer, Mr. Boucher has over 25 years of experience in transportation and aeronautics. After a few years of service in the Royal Canadian Air Force as the officer responsible for the maintenance of CF-18 aircraft, he moved on to Bombardier, where he held a number of strategic management positions. As Vice President, Operations, he was instrumental in establishing a presence in Mexico, where he managed 2,500 employees. From 2014 to 2016, he worked in Germany as the senior manager in charge of improving the project management and quality assurance functions for Bombardier Transportation. Over the course of his career, Mr. Boucher acquired solid experience in operations and organizational performance as well as the execution of complex, large-scale international projects.

Marc Boucher holds a Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Université Laval (Québec, 1991) and a postgraduate diploma in aerospace engineering from the Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Technology and Engineering (1992).

David Murray

President of Hydro-Québec Distribution

David Murray took office as President of Hydro-Québec Distribution in September 2016. This Hydro-Québec division provides a secure supply of electricity to the Québec market by means of a distribution grid comprising more than 112,000 km of lines. The division has 6,000 employees serving 4 million customers throughout Québec.

From October 2015 to September 2016, David Murray was Vice President – Information and Communications Technologies at Hydro-Québec. In this capacity, he was responsible for activities related to information and telecommunication systems.

Mr. Murray has over 20 years of experience in large corporations, having worked for Bombardier, Flextronics, Nortel Networks and Rolls Royce. A dynamic and inspiring leader, he has played a pivotal role in bringing about organizational changes through the implementation of enterprise resource planning systems and other technological tools designed to increase efficiency and productivity.

Prior to joining Hydro-Québec, David Murray held a number of strategic management positions at Bombardier Aerospace, where he contributed to the creation of Bombardier Business Aircraft. From March 2014 to September 2015, he served as Vice President and General Manager responsible for the Learjet 70/75 programs and the Learjet plant in Wichita, Kansas. An executive member of the Aeronautical Industries Association of America and representative of the General Aviation Manufacturing Association, he also oversaw Bombardier’s relations with Kansas government authorities.

Mr. Murray sits on the board of directors of Centraide of Greater Montreal and of Caisse Desjardins Hydro. He also serves as a governor of the Mouvement québécois de la qualité.

Mr. Murray holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (1992) from HEC Montréal.

Réal Laporte

President of Hydro-Québec Innovation, équipement et services partagés
President and Chief Executive Officer of Société d’énergie de la Baie James

Réal Laporte was appointed President of Hydro-Québec Innovation, équipement et services partagés and confirmed in his position as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Société d’énergie de la Baie James in September 2016. Hydro-Québec’s research institute (IREQ) was thus added to the business units already under his responsibility.

Mr. Laporte was previously President of Hydro-Québec Équipement et services partagés and President and Chief Executive Officer of the Société d’énergie de la Baie James. In April 2005, he became responsible for construction and refurbishment projects for Hydro-Québec’s generating and transmission facilities, and in January 2010 he also assumed responsibility for the company’s shared services centre.

Since joining Hydro-Québec in 1988, he has been in charge of a number of jobsites, studies and infrastructure projects. He had previously held a variety of positions at different construction companies.

Réal Laporte holds a bachelor’s degree in civil construction from the École de technologie supérieure and a master’s degree in project management from Université du Québec à Montréal. He has over 30 years’ experience in management and the development of large-scale projects.

Johanne Duhaime

Vice President – Information and Communications Technologies

Johanne Duhaime was appointed Vice President – Information and Communications Technologies at Hydro-Québec in September 2016. In this role, she is responsible for the activities related to information and telecommunication systems.

In January 2016, Ms. Duhaime was appointed Director – ICT Governance, and her responsibilities included the project portfolio, corporate architecture, guidelines, technology monitoring and accountability regarding information and communications technologies.

Ms. Duhaime has over 30 years of experience in information technologies and operations in large corporations. She was previously Vice-President, IT Delivery Management for the Personal, Business, Marketing and Operations group at National Bank, and she has held several management positions at Cognicase and Hydro-Québec.

An experienced manager, Ms. Duhaime has led large work teams and prioritized improved process efficiency and streamlined work methods. She has also headed several major technological projects, contributing specifically to the contract negotiation with service providers and the restructuring of major transactional systems.

Ms. Duhaime holds an Executive MBA from UQAM and a certificate in business administration from McGill University.

Nathalie Dubois

Vice President – Human Resources

Nathalie Dubois has served as Hydro-Québec’s Vice President – Human Resources since June 2017. In that capacity, she is responsible for talent acquisition, total compensation, skills development, labor relations and organizational performance, along with third-party and company asset security, including ITC security. She also supports corporate development.

In her close to thirty years in human resources, she has managed many large-scale projects in the areas of continuous change and business transformation. She worked in the manufacturing sector for 20 years, first at General Motors of Canada, where she was in charge of developing operational processes, improving labor relations and solving production problems in order to increase productivity, then at Pratt & Whitney Canada, where she held the positions of HR Manager – Operations, and Senior HR Director – Aftermarket Customer Services. She also spent two years at Cirque du Soleil as HR Manager and assistant to the Vice President – HR.

After joiningHydro-Québec in 2011 as HR Director at Hydro-Québec Distribution, in 2012, Ms. Dubois was appointed Director – Operational Services, Human Resources, at Hydro-Québec, where she set up and supervised an HR service centre to offer quality service to some 20,000 company employees. In 2016, she accepted the position of Vice President, HR Service Centre, and HR officer (in general insurance) with Mouvement Desjardins.

Ms. Dubois holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial relations from the Université de Montréal, and has followed a variety of training programs, including the Queen’s University Executive Program and the ACE certification program. She is a member of the Ordre des conseillers en ressources humaines et en relations industrielles agréés du Québec [Quebec human resources and industrial relations professional governing body].

Élise Proulx

Vice President – Communications and Government Affairs

Élise Proulx was appointed Vice President – Communications and Government Affairs at Hydro-Québec in January 2017. In this capacity, she is in charge of internal and external communications, public and government affairs, marketing and community relations.

A seasoned manager with more than 20 years of experience, Ms. Proulx joined Hydro-Québec in 2013 as Director – Communications. Prior to that, she ran her own public relations firm, where she soon built an enviable reputation for her leadership, team spirit and intellectual rigor. She advised numerous decision-makers in various areas of the public and private sectors, including culture, luxury goods and customer service, as well as several Québec municipalities and regional county municipalities. Before setting up her own business, she managed the communications department at Hydro Ottawa and served as spokesperson and strategic advisor at Hydro-Québec.

Élise Proulx holds a Bachelor’s degree in communications (public relations) from the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) and an Executive MBA from UQAM’s School of Management. She is also an accredited sommelier, for her own enjoyment. She sits on the boards of the Canadian Electricity Association, Montréal International and the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal.

Stella Leney, Ad. E.

Vice President – Corporate Affairs and Secretary General

Stella Leney was appointed Vice President – Corporate Affairs and Secretary General at Hydro-Québec in January 2017. In this capacity, she is notably in charge of ethics, access to information, environmental issues, sustainable development and document management. She also provides governance oversight and support for the activities of the Board of Directors and Board committees as well as Hydro-Québec subsidiaries. In addition, Ms. Leney is Chair of the Board of Directors of the Fondation Hydro-Québec pour l’environnement.

Ms. Leney joined Hydro-Québec in 1982. Until 1993, she worked in environmental law and acted as a liaison with government agencies. During that time, she was also the company’s spokesperson for various hydroelectric projects. In 1993, Ms. Leney became Assistant Secretary of Hydro-Québec.

From 2004 to 2016, Ms. Leney also served as General Manager – Environment and Corporate Affairs. Her duties included supervising environmental matters, managing Hydro-Québec’s corporate secretariat and overseeing access to information, ethics and the protection of personal information.

Stella Leney obtained an undergraduate law degree from the Université du Québec à Montréal in 1978 and a degree in administration from McGill University in 1982. She also earned certification from the Institute of Corporate Directors in June 2008. She is a member of the Québec Bar and was awarded the title of Lawyer Emeritus (Advocatus Emeritus) in 2016.

Ms. Leney is Chair of the Board of Directors of Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui. She also sits on the boards of the Institut Hydro-Québec en environnement, développement et société at Université Laval, the Québec Business Council on the Environment and the Space for Life Foundation.

Jean-Hugues Lafleur

Vice President – Financing, Treasury and Pension Fund

Jean-Hugues Lafleur was named Vice President – Financing, Treasury and Pension Fund in September 2008. He joined Hydro-Québec in 1991 where he has held different management positions.

Mr. Lafleur holds a Bachelor’s degree in Administration from the Université du Québec à Hull and a Master’s degree in Finance from the Université de Sherbrooke.

He began his career as a securities broker with the firm Lévesque Beaubien (now National Bank Financial). In the late 1980s, he was also a lecturer in portfolio management at the Université du Québec à Hull.

Following his arrival at Hydro-Québec, he held a number of finance-related positions, including responsibility for Commodities Risk Management. In 1996, he became Manager – Financial Risk Control. Two years later, he was appointed Director – Financial Markets and Assistant Treasurer with the Direction principale du financement et de la trésorerie. In 2007, he became Corporate Treasurer, followed by his appointment in September 2008 as Vice President – Financing, Treasury and Pension Fund. In this capacity, he is responsible for corporate financing, treasury operations and the Hydro-Québec pension fund, as well as the information technologies that support financial and accounting applications.

He is also Chairman of the Board and President and Chief Executive Officer of Hydro-Québec CapiTech, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hydro-Québec.

Mr. Lafleur has been a member of the board of Jeunes entreprises du Québec since 2005. He also chaired the 2009 fundraising campaign of the Fondation Ressources-Jeunesse.

Michel Ménard

Vice President – Corporate Transformation, Health and Safety

Michel Ménard was appointed Vice President – Corporate Transformation, Health and Safety at Hydro-Québec in January 2017. In this capacity, he is in charge of spearheading the transformation of the corporate culture and is also responsible for workplace health and safety.

Mr. Ménard joined Hydro-Québec in 1978 as Internal Auditor – Projects and Construction. He then went on to hold a variety of positions within the company, including Accounting Manager, Control Manager, Operations Auditing Manager, Operations Director in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region, Acting Vice President – Distribution and Customer Services – Richelieu Region, Director – Customer Service Expertise and Support, Director – Customer Service Projects and Development, International Project Director for Hydro-Québec Distribution, Territory Director for the Centre de services partagés (Hydro-Québec’s shared services unit) and Real Estate Director.

Mr. Ménard also fulfilled various mandates abroad on behalf of Hydro-Québec International. He notably served as Assistant Accounting Manager for national electricity company Électricité de Guinée and General Director of Fortuna, in Panama.

From 2007 to 2016, Mr. Ménard was Senior Director – Shared Services. He was in charge of providing procurement, real estate management and materials management services, as well as transportation, food and accommodation services, to all Hydro-Québec divisions and corporate units. His primary mandate was to develop a partnership with these internal clients to enhance their financial performance while allowing them to focus on their core business. From 2010 to 2017, he also sat on the boards of the real estate companies held by Hydro-Québec’s pension fund.

Michel Ménard received a Bachelor’s degree in business administration from the École des hautes études commerciales de Montréal (HEC Montréal) in 1976.

Steve Demers

Vice President – Business Development

Steve Demers was named Vice President – Business Development in December 2015. In this capacity, he is in charge of the activities pertaining to Hydro-Québec’s international presence. Mr. Demers joined Hydro-Québec in September 2011 as Senior Director – Energy Trading Floor – Wholesale Markets.

Mr.Demers previously acted as Senior Director and Treasurer (Montréal) at Banque Nationale du Canada (BNC), a position he held since 2004. From 2002 to 2004, he worked General Manager of BNC's London, England office. From 1998 to 2002, he held the position of Foreign Exchange Director at BNC's headquarters in Montréal. In 1997 and 1998, Mr. Demers worked at State Street Bank and Trust Company, where he acted as portfolio manager.

Mr. Demers holds a Master's Degree in Management Sciences with a specialization in Finance from HEC Montréal, as well as a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Laurentian University. He also holds a diploma from the Association Cambiste Internationale (ACI).

Mario Laprise

Internal Auditor

Mario Laprise has been Hydro-Québec’s Internal Auditor since September 2014.

Mr. Laprise has an extensive background in security and governance, and over 25 years of management experience.

From 1979 to 2005, he worked for the Sûreté du Québec, where he was involved in implementing anti-organized crime structures and strategies. Among other achievements, he spearheaded Opération Carcajou in Montréal and Québec as well as Opération Printemps 2001, which he directed as provincial coordinator in the fight against organized crime. This operation mobilized nearly 2,000 police officers and led to the arrest of some 150 members of organized crime groups.

From 2005 to 2012, Mr. Laprise was head of industrial security at Hydro-Québec, where he was instrumental in deploying a host of measures to maintain the security of employees and corporate assets.

In 2012, Mr. Laprise was appointed director general of the Sûreté du Québec. In this capacity, he was responsible for managing a workforce of over 8,000 people while ensuring the protection of citizens and their property as well as the State and its resources. He also took part in overseeing large-scale operations, such as those organized in connection with the tragedies that occurred in Lac-Mégantic and L’Isle Verte. In addition, he worked closely with l’Unité permanente anticorruption (UPAC), the Commission of Inquiry on the Awarding and Management of Public Contracts in the Construction Industry (Charbonneau Commission) as well as various government agencies and police departments.

Mr. Laprise is renowned for his integrity and efficiency. His in-depth knowledge of Hydro-Québec and its safeguards, as well as his graduate work in public administration, are assets that he puts to good use in fulfilling his responsibilities as Internal Auditor.

Joëlle Thibault

Corporate Ombudsman

Joëlle Thibault has served as Hydro-Québec’s Corporate Ombudsman since May 1, 2012.

A lawyer since 1989, Joëlle Thibault holds a Master of Advanced Studies in Commercial Law and a PhD in Law, with a specialization in amicable settlement of disputes from the Université Paris II (France). She also obtained a certificate in International Contract Law from the University of Cambridge (Great Britain).

Ms. Thibault articled at the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris and has worked for various arbitrators and mediators in Europe. From 2000 to 2001, she was Vice President at eResolution, a company specializing in the management of online negotiation, mediation and arbitration services for conflicts involving consumption, insurance and commercial transactions.

Between 2001 and 2010, Ms. Thibault worked as Ombudsman for clients and Vice President of Human Resources at the National Bank of Canada. In this capacity, she negotiated various agreements and resolved multiple conflicts.

In addition to her part-time position as Hydro-Québec’s Corporate Ombudsman, Ms. Thibault takes on private mandates in mediation, training and complaint management process optimization.

Rules of conduct for directors and executives

The conduct of directors and executives is governed by strict rules and principles set out in the following documents: